Roki Sasaki’s outing ended with a wobble, but the first five innings offered evidence that the Los Angeles Dodgers may be seeing the pitcher they expected.
Sasaki allowed two runs on five hits, issued three walks and struck out seven across 5.1 innings in a 6-2 win over the Seattle Mariners on July 30. Before the sixth, Seattle managed only two singles and one walk against a fastball that reached 100 mph and a splitter that looked like a legitimate finishing pitch.
Jack Harris of the California Post noted that Sasaki produced nine misses on 20 splitter swings, accounting for four strikeouts. Catcher Dalton Rushing credited Sasaki for getting ahead and forcing hitters to protect against the pitch.
The sharpness disappeared in the sixth. Cole Young tripled, Randy Arozarena doubled him home, and Sasaki walked Cal Raleigh with the bases loaded. Jack Dreyer entered with one out and stranded all three inherited runners.
Manager Dave Roberts revealed that Sasaki experienced leg and calf cramping, which may help explain the sudden decline.
Sasaki’s Splitter Is Fueling a Second-Half Turnaround
GettyRoki Sasaki #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on July 17, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images)
The final inning should not erase the larger trend. Sasaki has surrendered only three earned runs in 18 innings through three starts since the All-Star break, lowering his season ERA to 4.64. That 1.50 second-half ERA represents a dramatic response after he allowed 22 runs over a 23-inning stretch before the break.
Still, the sixth inning identified his next challenge. Postseason starters cannot merely dominate a lineup twice; they must retain their delivery and command when fatigue arrives, and hitters see them a third time.
That makes Sasaki’s cramping worth monitoring. The Dodgers need more than five excellent innings from him if they expect the 24-year-old to secure a meaningful October role.
Sasaki’s Bigger Glove Has a Serious Purpose
GettyRoki Sasaki #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up before the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on July 17, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images)
The most noticeable piece of Sasaki’s turnaround may be sitting on his left hand.
Jared Diamond of The Wall Street Journal reported that the Dodgers believed Sasaki was tipping pitches and turned to a “cartoonishly large” glove rather than asking him to overhaul his lifelong delivery during a pennant race. The extra coverage can prevent opponents from seeing how he grips the baseball inside the glove.
Sasaki has playfully denied a major equipment change. After beating the New York Mets, he joked that his face had probably gotten smaller, making the glove appear larger.
The glove, however, is only part of the correction. Sasaki also adjusted his lower-half mechanics during the break, and his improved fastball command has made hitters respect the top of the zone before chasing the splitter beneath it.
That combination—not simply extra leather—is why this resurgence looks more sustainable. The glove might hide what Sasaki is throwing, but his latest three starts are beginning to reveal what he can become.
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